Process of precipitating and preserving casein.



' may be kept in good condition To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY V. DUNHAM, OF BELLOWS FALLS, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO CASEIN COMPANY OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF PRECIP ITATI NG AND PRES'ERVING CA SEIN- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 6, 1906.

Applioation'filed May4,1905. SerialNo. 258.882.-

ered a certain new and useful Process for Precipitating and Preserving Casein, of which the following is a specification.

In the production of casein for use in the arts in accordance with the processes now in use it is necessary in order that the roduct that the casein be dried almost immediatel 7 after it has been precipitated fromthe milk, and to this end many of the creameries where casein is produced are provided with drying plants for the purpose of drying the casein in order to render it suitable for keeping as long as may be necessary before. being used. It is, however, not economical to provide many of the smaller creameries with drying plants, which are somewhat expensive, and it has heretofore been customary to ship the Wet.

casein from such creameries to other creameries which are provided with drying plants,

" where the wet casein may be properly dried;

but as it is impossible to ship fres ly-precipitated wet casein (which even after it has been pressed contains fifty per cent, or more of water) for any considerable distance, or keep it for any considerable length of time say for more than two or three days-without its becoming putrid much loss frequentl occurs by reason of decomposition or'spoi ing of the casein.

This invention or discovery has for its object to obviate the difliculty above referred to by providinga reservative precipitant for the casein whic will so act u on the casein in the precipitating process that Wet casein will be kept from decomposing for a very considerable lengthof time and can therefore be shipped long distances in safety.

The invention or discovery is carried into effect by mixing a preservative with the precipitating acid. The acids usually em 10 .ed

for precipitatinq casein are sulfuric or y rochloric acids, .a though acetic or other acids may likewise be used, and the preservative WhlCh is preferably emplo ed in connection with the precipitatin aci s is boracic acid,

which is simply mixe with the recipitating acid in a 1proportion of one-haf of one per cent. to a out one per cent., or a little more, of the boracic acid to-the precipitating acid. The preserving boracic acid may be mixed with the preci itating acid, and the mixture may then be s ipped to any place at which it is to be used in the usual. manner for preci itating casein from milk, or the mixture of t e reservative with the precipitating acid may lie made at the creameries or factories where the precipitatin is to be done.

In carrying t e invention into effect the precipitating acid mixed with the preserva tive is applied to the milk in a proportion of from three to five per cent. in the usual man ner in precipitating casein, and as the casein is precipitated the preservative acts upon the same in such a manner as to render the casein proof against decomposition for a ver considerable length of time, and thus enab es the casein to be shipped for long distances in safety or to be kept until it is convenient to submit it'to the action of the driers in drying it out.

Having thus described my invention or discovery, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The herein-described process for precipitating and preserving casein, consisting in precipitating the casein with an acid with which a. small percentage of a preservative has been previously mixed.

2. The herein-described process. for precipitating and preserving casein, consisting in precipitating the casein with an acid with which a small percentage of boracic acid has been previously mixed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY V. DUNHAM. 

